Atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition and characterisation of crystalline InTaO4, InNbO4 and InVO4 coatings

Abstract

Abstract The possibilities to grow crystalline complex InTaO 4 , InNbO 4 and InVO 4 coatings as well as single oxide layers In 2 O 3 , Ta 2 O 5 , Nb 2 O 5 , and VO x were investigated using aerosol assisted atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition technique. Indium(III) and niobium(IV) tetramethylheptanedionates, tantalum(V) tetraethoxyacethylacetonate and vanadium(III) acethylacetonate were used as precursors, monoglyme and toluene as solvents. The influence of deposition conditions and solution composition on elemental and phase compositions of layers was studied. Indium tantalate layers containing pure monoclinic InTaO 4 phase were obtained ex-situ, i.e., after high-temperature (800 °C) annealing of layers grown at lower temperature (500 °C). Films containing pure orthorhombic indium vanadate or monoclinic indium niobate phase may be prepared using both in-situ (600 °C) or ex-situ (deposition at 400 °C, annealing at 800 °C) approaches. Under optimised deposition conditions and solution compositions, Ni-doped InVO 4 and InTaO 4 films were also deposited and their photocatalytic activity was tested.